The sheriff’s department and health department took on the brunt of the cuts, Jackson County Administrator/Controller Mike Overton said. They are losing the equivalent of four full-time employees each to help balance the budget.

The sheriff’s department is dropping two command staff and two corrections officers, while the health department is losing a variety of employees – including three part-time employees leading its car seat safety program, which is ending.

The reduction in employees saved more than $400,000, Finance Director Cecilia Anderson said. Various cuts across the county made up most of the rest of the difference – but that’s becoming a tougher task each year, Overton said.

Thanks to the cuts, no general fund reserves are expected to be used, keeping the fund balance around 20%. Board policy mandates the general fund has reserves equal to 18 to 24% of the total general fund budget – which is $43.7 million for 2020.

On the revenue front, the county will likely put a millage renewal request on the ballot sometime in 2020 for the 0.25-mill senior services millage. Voters passed the millage in 2013 and it expires at the end of 2019.

The board will decide whether the millage renewal is on the May, August or November ballot, Overton said.

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.